Bittersweet Reunion
by Jazz Jazz
Summary: But what the good news is, is that we don't have to live in dis goddamned alley anymore!" Jazz stood there with one cocked eyebrow waiting for his stubborness to disappear.


WHAM! Jack Kelly fell to the the ground. He noticed a girl on ground too and realized that she must have been what he ran into. He glanced up and saw more bulls.

"Are you runnins from dem?" Jack asked. The girl nodded, so he took her hand and they sprinted at top speed through the Manhatten streets.

Soon they had created quite a large gap between the bulls and themselves. They quickly turned down an alley and disappeared into an abandoned button factory. They waited to hear the sounds of the bulls trampling right past the factory's door.

"Well it seems we lost 'em," Jack laughed. "It seems ya safe now, so I betta be gettin back to da Lodgin House. Da fellas will be wonderin where I am."

The girl fell to the ground and curled up into a ball, her face grew red while she silently was holding in her tears.

Jack crouched down next her her. "Whats da matta, kid?"

"I ain't got no place ta go. My friend Shina 'n me, wes live on da streets with no jobs," she answered.

Jack took her chin and turned her face toward his. "Now dats nothin to be ashamed of," he said in the most sincere way. "Here's just a thought. Youse could come and live in da Lodgin' House. I mean, Kloppman doesn't usually allow goils, but, uh, for a time like dis, I think he can make an exception."

"Really?" she asked starting to smile.

"Sure," Jack replied,"But, uh, before wes start livin togetha, I should prolly know ya name, huh?"

"Yeh, of course. Me name's Anastasia, but everyone just calls me Jazz."

"Name's Kelly, Jack Kelly. But some call me Cowboy," Jack said as he helped Jazz to her feet. His rough fingers wiped the tears from her cheeks. "Come on, I'll show ya da way."

"Thank you so much, Jack," Jazz smiled at him.

Once they were back in the sun they were able to see each other clearly for the first time. Jack looked at Jazz and her saw a girl with brown hair that was shining gold in the brilliant sunlight. Her hair went down to her bustline and was curly at the ends. Her eyes shone a bright brown and gold, and they were accented by the lite freckles on her sun-tanned face. She was only about 4 inches shorter and probably only 2 or 3 years younger.

The two walked slowly through the New York streets so that Jazz could absorb the route to the Lodging House into her mind. They passed Horace Greely's statue and weaved in and out, alley after alley, until finally they arrived at the Newsboy Lodging House.

Jack walked inside the Lodging House, "Hey, Kloppa! I got a goil outside dat needs a place ta stay 'til we can get 'er back on 'er feet."

"Huh? Jack, ya-ya-you know we don't allow girls in heah," Kloppman replied.

"Yeh, but she ain't got any place ta stay," Jack made his brown eyes into huge puppy dog eyes.

Kloppman held his breath, but he couldn't resist and a smile broke his face. But he looked Jack straight in the eyes and told him, "Tonight, Jack, just for tonight."

* * *

"Shina! Shina!" Jazz came running down an alley with the most excited look on her face.

"Wat?!" a strong, tall boy with dark curly hair and green eyes yelled back.

"You won't believe who I ran into today! He..."

"Wait...'he'? You were off carousing with some fella, when you were supposed to be gettin us food?!" Shiner exploded. "Did you even get any food at all?" Jazz's huge grin faded.

"Oh, my gawd! I'm so sorry! I can't believe I forgot, but ya gotta understand, see I was gettin us some apples, but I didn't have any money! So I tried..."

"Stealin?" Shiner snickered.

"Yeh, so den I was bein' chased by da bulls and dis boy helped me escape!"

"Oh wow, Sounds..." Shiner started sarcastically.

"But what the good news is, is that we don't have to live in dis goddamned alley anymore!" Jazz stood there with one cocked eyebrow waiting for his stubbornness to disappear.

It immediately did. "Are you serious? What'd ya mean?"

"Jack, the boy who saved me, lives in dis Newsboy Londgin House and the House Master said it was fine for us ta stay there! Wes don't hafta live in dis dirt and disease hole any more!"

The two broke out into smiles and laughter. They hugged and danced a miniature celebration for a few moments until they realized that they had to get together her few things and travel over to their new home.


End file.
